Monday, January 30, 2012

All PCJ programs now available on STITCHER APP for Iphone/Ipad and other smart phone devises. For details go to www.pcjmedia.com and click on the STITCHER picture located in the right menu for details. To add your favorite programs just search in the STITCHER app or at the STITCHER website and thats all you need to do.

You can hear Nash Holos "Sundays at 6 pm on AM1320 CHMB Vancouver. The program also streams live at the CHMB website. The podcast is available at iTunes and audio archives on the Playlist page.

The international edition of Nash Holos Ukrainian Roots Radio can be heard weekends on PCJ Radio and the shortwave broadcast on WRMI Radio Miami International airs the second week of the month on Fridays at 0200UTC (Thursdays 6 pm PST)." - Nash Holos Website Quote

For your convenience and ease of access to Paulette's new shows for 2012, Shortwave America is listing the newest shows with their respective content lists so all of the fans, followers, and listeners here can see the high quality of Paulette's work. What makes Nash Holos such a joy to listen to is the upbeat, positive, and educational experience Paulette presents. Nash Holos is really a welcome break from the bad news and destruction we hear about on so many stations around the world. This is a show that allows a person to relax and enjoy the light - hearted aspects of culture and people that has been largely lost in today's anxiety ridden world.

Paulette credits the support she finds in her husband, the folks at CHMB Radio, her Nash Holos reporters / contributors, Keith Perron, and most of all, her listeners for what Nash Holos has become and the greater potentials it still has yet to achieve.

What's on this week:

Why Sylvia is nuts about candy, tourism booming in Chernobyl, Ukrainian Christmas and New Year's carols, season's greetings from the local community, & more!

Show notes:

Ukrainian Food Flair: Sylvia Molnar with a recipe for Almond Brittle (Макаґіґі - Makagigi)Ukraine News Outlook with Keith Perron: Keith brings us a special feature on the eco-tourism boom in Chernobyl.Other items of interest: Proverb of the Week, upcoming local events, Ukrainian Christmas carols, and more!

Nash Holos Podcast - Jan. 08, 2012

What's on this week: Sylvia's homemade pickled herring, Ukraine's post-Cold War military activities, Fr. Ihor Kutash on culture and the church, Ukrainian Christmas carols, & more! See Show Notes (below) for more details, listen to the show for full details!

Show Notes

Ukrainian Food Flair: Sylvia Molnar with a recipe for homemade pickled herringUkraine News Outlook with Keith Perron: Special feature on Ukraine’s military activities post Cold War Ukrainian Christian Heritage: Fr. Ihor Kutash on the Church as culture-bearer.
Other items of interest: Proverb of the Week, Ukrainian Christmas carols, upcoming local events, and more!

Nash Holos Podcast - Jan. 15, 2012

What's on this week:
Two salad recipes, news, Ukrainian New Year's carols by Tyt i Tam, Andriana Gnap, Sofia Fedyna, Volyn and more! See Show Notes (below) for more details, listen to the podcast for full details!

Who Knew They Were Ukrainian?
Keith Perron highlights popular American entertainers with Ukrainian roots.• This week: Ed Ames and the Ames Brothers
Other items of interest:
• Proverb of the Week
• Upcoming local events
• Great Ukrainian music!

Please welcome to Shortwave America's "Audio News" archive, Jerry Taylor's "Practical Ham Radio Podcast"! Shortwave America discovered Jerry and his hard work by listening to Ted Randall's QSO Show. Jerry has a really great podcast worth listening to as he presents amateur radio subjects in ways that are easily understood. The Practical Ham Radio Podcast is well done. Jerry has a friendly voice and is quite welcoming. What is unique in Jerry's approach is that he has a motto that is quite needed in radio today. "Creating Elmers One Podcast At A Time". Those who are unfamiliar with the term, "Elmer", that is someone who helps others to learn needed radio skills.

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Ted has released a new show, and since he is listed on the Shortwave America Audio News Programming Page, we are pleased to bring you the new show. In this newest edition of The QSO Show, Ted talks with: Jack Davis K6YC chief engineer for KTXL television Sacramento California and chairman of SBE Society of Broadcast Engineers Chapter 43 in Sacramento CA. Jack talks all about VHF, UHF and microwave. Dennis Marandos - K1LGQ with the New England QRP Club. Dennis talks all about QRP and tells about a complete working ham station for about $60.00. Find out all about the excitement in QRP.

The Ontario DX Association, or "ODXA" has become a very well formed Shortwave DX enthusiast group since 1974. Read more about ODXA here. The ODXA team is made up of well known people who have been around for decades and / or picked up a love for radio from people in the radio community. Read about the ODXA management team here.

One of the best services offered by ODXA is an audio service for those who are vision impaired, and those who are blind. This community service program is called "Listening In On Tape". This program used to be known as "DX Ontario On Tape". Listening In On tape is now entering its 18th year of service.

Here is a direct quote from the ODXA on this program: "
Approximately 60 - 70% of the magazine is taped, including most monthly columns, all classifieds and all special articles. The Target Listening (by country) column is placed onto an additional sixty minute tape twice a year, in April and in November. The only items missing from the original are the advertisements, the mail order form, and the charts that appear in the magazine, the BBC Schedule, USA Survey and the World English Survey."

Anyone wishing to receive our monthly magazine in this form should contact us via mail, e-mail mailto:odxa@rogers.com or by phoning 416-297-0449.

Joe Robinson is the person at ODXA who does the recording.

Now, here are some recent and helpful Shortwave listening files that Shortwave America readers are sure to enjoy: Credit to ODXA for all the hard work. Descriptions of each file originate from the ODXA site.

Programming Matters
Programming is what we listen to on shortwave and this column presents and discusses programs. The presenters of these programs and the stations they speak from are also topics for coverage. We also delve into many other topics to see how radio impacts our lives.

World English Survey
This chart provides a quick reference to major English language shortwave broadcasts. Provided in a center page spread for easy reference, they supply major broadcasters, frequencies and times.

Target Listening
Target Listening provides a guide to where, when and how to hear all radio countries operating on the shortwave bands. Reports from our members and other references are used to compile tips that can assist you to log these countries.

Beginner's Classroom
This column attempts to explain some aspect of our hobby each month. The subjects may be technical or they may concern such things as DX practices and traditions. Suggestions for topics are always welcome.

Helping Hand
Helping Hand is a column that focuses upon questions, advice, assistance and other items of discussion that our readership requires from time to time. This "post-it" column will allow hobbyists to inquire about various aspects of radio listening and receive answers from the readership either directly or through this column.

ODXA also has helpful features on their site such as sections called "Click", "Arctic Waves", and "Articles". The "Click" files are "intended to help readers get better acquainted with the World English Survey broadcasters' websites, both as an aid to shortwave listening and as a self-contained media source." - ODXA quote.

These last three section of the site that were named have been last updated by ODXA in 2010 and 2011 respectively. ODXA is also the QSL Agent for CFRB(1010 kHz) /CFRX (6070 kHz) in Ontario. Read more about that here.

One more great service offered by ODXA is a MAIL ORDER PROGRAM.
ODXA has a CATALOG PDF File for those interested in purchasing CD's and books.

DXer Harold has kindly allowed ODXA to publish his mailing address for ease of contact for those without computers / internet access. Here is his information for those interested in doing legitimate business with ODXA:

<br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>Say NO TO ACTA<br>

The video above talks about a bill that is as dangerous or even worse than SOPA and PIPA. Free speech is also at grave risk in the text of ACTA. The United States signed ACTA in October of 2011, but it has not been ratified yet. ACTA is slated to be ratified in June of this year (2012) if the EU Parliament signs off on it.

So, in reality, we have 3 pending Federal bills that will become law this year and will completely shut down what we have known so far as a free internet. Welcome to the new world order, everyone! America is becoming another China. Write to your Senators and House Representatives. Tell them you do not want SOPA, PIPA, or ACTA in our already over legalized country.

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Last night's failure of Shortwave America on The Look 24/7 was due to a DDoS attack that has continued at the servers hosting The Look 24/7. The Look 24/7 is working with their techs tirelessly to get the station back up and running. Until this matter is resolved, Shortwave America shows are suspended, as are all other shows at The Look 24/7. I apologize on behalf of myself and my partner stations including The Look 24/7 and hope our fans and followers will stick with us.

Due to the sensitive nature of this matter, no further details can be given. We apologize collectively for the inconvenience and want our listeners / followers, and fans to know we value you and hope to be back up and running again as soon as possible.

Friday, January 27, 2012

Tonight, January 27th, 2012, Shortwave America talks about: Political Correctness in radio and society, introduction to Amateur Radio digital modes with real sound samples and how to decode them using just your computer and simple software. Thanks to the data center and sponsors of The Look 24/7 for having the show and also for the hard work in dealing with the newest round of DDoS attacks.

Shortwave America readers, show listeners, followers, and fans: THIS IS A QST!

Below this introductory statement by Shortwave America is a verbatim copy of an e-mail sent through today by Brad, W9FX, who is the ARRL Illinois Section Emergency Coordinator. We are all well aware by now of many states that have put "distracted driving" laws on their books and these states have been kind enough to listen to the amateur radio community and the ARRL who represents us all in these and other radio communications matters in regards to communications law and our relationship to the 50 state union as federally licensed radio communicators about the emergency service we offer and are trained to perform in times of emergency such as severe weather, floods, earthquakes, and all other manner of disaster communications. These states have exempted FCC licensed amateur radio operators from their distracted driving laws.

The Illinois Legislature is proposing a rather dangerous and draconian "distracted driving" bill as follows in the words of Brad - W9FX:

Ladies and Gentlemen, we all have probably, to some degree, realized that this was coming. The horrific Missouri school bus crash of recent times resulting from a teen texting while driving led to a great cry to ‘ban distracted driving!’ I get it, I really do. Driving down the road while reading from a tiny little screen, typing on a midget-sized keyboard, and/or searching for iPod tunes cannot lead to safe drivers. We've all seen the results.

Still, these activities are not, for the most part, what hams do when operating from their vehicles. We turn on a rig, dial up a frequency or a memory channel and talk into a microphone. There is no distraction, at least not in the same sense as texting-while-driving causes. The National Safety Council has no evidence indicating that the use of amateur radio gear (in general) has statistically demonstated any driving hazard or risk.

The NSC notwithstanding, the Illinois Legislature, and, more particularly, the House of Representatives, is set to begin consideration of two proposed pieces of legislation designed to prohibit DISTRACTED DRIVING. I put that in CAPS because that’s what the intent of the legislation is purported to be. These two bills, HB3970 and HB3972, prohibit using all manner of electronic devices while one is driving unless said device is hands-free and/or voice-activated. Certain classes of operation are exempted from these bills including ‘persons driving emergency vehicles,’ someone reporting an emergency situation, or when the operator of the vehicle has the vehicle’s transmission in neutral or park and on the shoulder of the roadway.

If this legislation passes as it is proposed, the use of amateur radio gear while driving will be outlawed in Illinois.

Stop and read that last sentence again.

It matters little if you are Democrat, Republican, Tea Party, independent, or apolitical - these bills are absolutely Draconian in nature. You’re a SKYWARN volunteer you say? Sure. You can operate your radio after you get off the road and when you have the vehicle’s transmission in park or neutral – but, not until. Are you thinking about becoming a Rover-class participant in an ARRL or CQ-sponsored VHF contest or, or, perhaps, hand out a few of the more rare counties during the Illinois QSO Party? Not if you’re driving and in motion, you’re not! How about chasing DX while you’re on your daily 1 hour commute into Chicago? Nope. Can’t call your buddies on the local repeater while you’re driving, either.

We, the ARRL team here in Illinois, will weigh in with the legislature via our Stage Government Liaison, Charlie Richey, K9DUE. We are, however, to borrow a term, little more than spurious noise, to the Illinois Legislature. We aren't lobbyists. If we are to continue to enjoy the freedom to pursue our avocation, to enjoy the privileges our federal licenses grant to us, then, we Illinois hams, both individually and collectively, are going to have to get off our duffs and get involved.

Please take this message to your clubs...take it to your local VHF (or HF) nets...put the info out far and wide – from Rockford to Cairo, Quincy to Rosiclare. Contact YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE, YOUR SENATOR, AND, THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE and let them know your feelings about this. If nobody opposes this legislation, like so many other ‘well-intended’ measures, this heavy-handed and ill-conceived attempt at legislating common sense will pass into Illinois law. Then it will be law enforcement officers that decide whether or not what you’re using in your car to communicate is legal according to their interpretation of the Illinois Vehicle Code. Not many law enforcement officers know the difference between a Sprint P2T telephone and a D-Star HT.

I urge you to take the time to follow the links, below, read the text of these proposed laws, and make yourself heard - while there's still time to make a difference.

Monday, January 23, 2012

According to NASA and NOAA Spaceweather Radio Propagation sources, this is NOT going to continue as a minor occurrence and has so far affected 20 meters through 6 meters, and 2 Meters through 1.2Ghz. (14Mhz and up to 29.995Mhz,50.00Mhz through 54.00Mhz, 144.00 to 148.00Mhz, 223.00 to 225.000Mhz, 420 - 450Mhz, and higher)

Amateur repeaters on the VHF and UHF bands have become almost deaf across the nation early this morning, and will see difficulties in operations until this storm is over. The band conditions for the listed frequencies will range from useless to minimally useful. This goes to say that the Minimum Useful Frequency and Maximum Useful Frequency (MUF) will be affected for sure.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Last Night in the United States (21 Jan 2012) marked New Year's Eve for China and today is their New Year's Day. In The United States, Chinese New Year's Eve is right now (22 Jan 2012) and tomorrow (23 Jan 2012) is their New Year's Day. China is ahead of U.S. time. Shortwave America would like to pass on best New Year's wishes to our Chinese fans, followers and listeners. May your new year bring you the best of everything!

Here are some links to China Radio International's celebration of Chinese New Year 4710, the Year of The Dragon:

January 20th and 21st, 2012 marked the first two shows of the new long-form version of Shortwave America at The Look 24/7. On the first show, which featured parts one and two of the Shortwave America Special, "30 Years of Space Shuttle Communications History", we also featured Amateur Radio Newsline by the gracious permission of the folks there, and we also aired the Media Network Plus World-Wide Radio News, Keith Perron's visit to the BBC Kranji Far East Relay Station, and also his newest review of the Tecsun PL398BT Shortwave Receiver.

This first show also featured the new Radio France International "Sound Kitchen" show with Mitul Kansal from India with his essay, "I Believe".

Music on this show was: The Hamband "Join Us On The Airwaves", Bob Carlisle's full version of "WKRP In Cincinnatti", Jon Fiore's "Out On The Edge" from the 1985 movie "The Heavenly Kid", and Europe's "The Final Countdown" to name a few.

Paulette MacQuarrie from Nash Holos and Media Network Plus joined us in chat at The Look 24/7's chat room, along with Chris Freitas of WUMR and ESPN Sports Radio 92.9FM.

Last night's show (January 21st 2012) was called "Surprise Saturday" as we covered many decades of radio comedy by Burns and Allen, Eddie and Jobo and their Bureau of Senseless Surveys, Howard Stern, old 80s parodies on Z100 "The Zoo" in New York, The Edge Radio in Minnesota, and Kevin Matthews from 13 Feburary 1988 when he was working at what used to be WLUP AM 1000. These are just a few samplings of last night's show.

Music from last night included: "Jukebox Hero" by the well known and esteemed "Foreigner" band, Credence Clearwater Revival - "Fortunate Son", and Iron Maiden with "Aces High". Again, this is just a sampling of the music presented last night. Despite rumors about Aces High by Iron Maiden about what it actually meant, it was actually a song about lead singer, Bruce Dikinson's passion for aviation. Bruce is a licensed airline pilot and has been for quite some time.

Miller Test Essay: This essay does not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of The Look 24/7, its parent companies, sponsors, donators, station personalities, or other Look 24/7 affiliates. This essay also does not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of anyone who is affiliated in any way with Shortwave America other than the Owner, Founder, Chief - Editor and Chief Producer of Shortwave America.

The vastly diverse radio and TV audience should not be victims of a nanny state telling them what they can and can't see or hear simply because of the hour such material airs. Parents need to be held accountable for attending to their children and parents need to be the ones to make the decision to either get their kids away from such content by turning it off and re-directing their kids to other activities, or acting as a guide to their children so the kids grow to understand the difference between a radio / television actor and the realities of real life in the outside world.

One other problem noted with our overly - protective and seemingly over-sensitive general public is that this generation was born in the 80s and 90s, at the beginning of what has come to be known as "Child Protection Paranoia". This obsessive and unrealistic over-focus on protecting children has extended to even building a wall between our nation's children and life in the real world. What this situation has led to is a spoiled, maladjusted generation that takes everything literally. No one seems to be able to separate the content and character of a radio / TV show from the real world.

All of this goes hand in hand with the remnants of the busy-body culture from a specific era of the early 1900s that continued unchecked until the late 1980s. During these ages, specifically in the 70s and 80s, the best mental health professionals of our time warned society of the dangers of obsessive over-protection of the more modern generation and what the result would be. Nobody listened. When it comes to entertainment, society has decided that they want to have the freedom to see and hear what they want, but they have also awkwardly decided to adhere to the failed disaster of political correctness in which everyone thinks the government should legislate morality and protect them from ever feeling offended.(God forbid a radio or TV production should make some people in the audience blush or hurt their wittle feelings)

Apparently, the FCC hasn't learned that legislating which audience demographics can be catered to and when they can be catered to just forces it all underground where it boils until an eruption occurs. Hence, the advent and continuing presence of pirate radio.

WAKE UP!! There is NO SUCH RIGHT to be placed in a bubble of protection! Turn the dial if you don't wanna hear something. Change the channel on your TV if you don't want to see something. No one is holding a proverbial gun to your head and forcing you to hear or watch!

The inalineable right to free speech and free association does not end because someone is shocked or offended or embarrassed. Those things which truly shock the conscience and fail to meet the legal standards as put forth here from Miller vs. California (The Miller Test):

Whether "the average person, applying contemporary community standards, would find that the work, taken as a whole, appeals to the prurient interest,

Whether the work depicts/describes, in a patently offensive way, sexual conduct specifically defined by applicable state law,

Whether the work, taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value.

Only when we remove the superficial barriers constructed by the various forms of fear mongering, can we move towards open and honest communication and discussion on important issues in society. Leading mental health experts who have repeatedly tackled these subjects have found on a consistent, repeated basis that it is indeed healthy to have open and honest discourse in society. These experts have demonstrated value in radio and TV actors who use programming aimed at shocking people awake, as it can serve to both uncover truly harmful evils, and tell the story of multiple current day realities that cannot be covered up by being superficial.

The politically correct "polite company" crowd has to come to terms with all of this, and aquire the necessary social and personal skills to deal with everyday subjects even if they are uncomfortable or unpleasant. The more we learn, the more we know. The more we know, the more we understand. As culture in society evolves, as the times we live in continue to change, radio and TV will continue to push the extent of their work to reflect the current and changing living conditions and behaviors of what really is a dysfunctional society.

Anyone who has any accurate knowledge when it comes to social studies internationally knows that America is about 30 to 40 years behind when it comes to freedom of expression and freedom of association. European society from the UK to Italy and The Netherlands, Poland, Ukraine, and other parts of the EU are actually more well adjusted and educated in free expression and freedom of association, and therefore, better able to handle social and political discourse on these matters.

The fact is that Americans only pretend to be shocked and offended at the subjects of sex, religion, politics, relationships and personal choice on the airwaves because let's face it: they don't want to deal with their neuroses and find it more convenient to sweep it all under the rug.

The Miller Test is fine as is. Don't fix something if it isn't broken. Radio Australia has an excellent program focusing on Mental Health issues, called "All In the Mind", presented in an equal and fair balance. Listen to that show for a while and maybe you can become educated on these matters. Perhaps certain amateur radio repeater owners / trustees / control operators all over the nation would do better if they applied the common sense approach set forth in the Miller Test instead of worrying about their repeater's public image and what other people might possibly think. If your repeater is hosted on someone else's property and you know there is a chance someone there will hear something that is unpopular or is a contentious topic, etc. then TURN THE SPEAKERS DOWN or turn them off.

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Shortwave America reached 50,033 unique readers today! To say we are pleased is not only an understatement, it has us all wowed! Thanks to all of you for sticking around and being so loyal! Shortwave America is truly humbled to have reached so many people over the last three years and three months! Hopefully, many of you are enjoying the 4 hour version of Shortwave America at The Look 24/7. Remember, Fridays and Saturdays at 0400UTC (12AM Eastern/11PM Central) to 0900UTC (4AM Eastern / 3AM Central) is when you can hear the show.

Tonight is "Surprise Saturday" focusing on the best of Radio Comedy spanning over 40+ years, including some content that although funny, is for a mature audience only. We will have "The Bureau of Senseless Surveys", "The Match Game" and more! Listener discretion is advised tonight. Thanks so much to all of you!

Friday, January 20, 2012

January 21st, 2012 is "Surprise Saturday" on Shortwave America on "The Look 24-7". Surprise Saturday revolves around bits of old radio shows that are classic for their ability to hold an audience captive with a unique sense of humor. The laugh fest to occur during Surprise Saturday is guaranteed to leave your ribs sore and your lungs breathless from laughing so hard!

We'll travel back and forth through time when radio kept you glued to your earphones or speakers. Remember sitting around the house or relaxing at your table and enjoying the fun of a show as it ran your imagination through the most creative humor scenarios of your life?

Music for this show will be a random and eclectic mix of styles guaranteed to help keep you awake in-between laugh sessions. Who says a playlist has to make any sense?

Amateur radio is about what is enjoyed by each operator, and those who enjoy contesting often times give their all to show technical skills and operational savvy. Good work to this team, and many great wishes for continued success in the amateur radio service!

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

The final details of the deal between Shortwave America and The Look 24-7 have been sealed and now a permanent schedule is in place. You can hear the new, improved, commercial edition of Shortwave America 8 hours a week at The Look 24-7 on Fridays and Saturdays 9 pm PT/12 am ET (Saturday/Sunday) - 1 am PT/4 am ET Saturday/Sunday. That translates to 0400UTC to 0900UTC.

There are many ways to listen: The listening link gives the audience a choice of their favorite media players, Smart Phone listening, and podcasts to name a few. Unfortunately, due to Copyright Law on an international basis, podcasts will not contain any of the music featured on the show. This DOES NOT stop you from recording with your choice of many available electronic media recording software found on the internet.

Shortwave America is a family - friendly production and at any time where or when even a momentary departure from family and community standards occurs, it must be noted that: The views and opinions expressed during the Shortwave America Show are the views and opinions of the Founder / Chief - Editor and Chief Producer and of any guests appearing on the show. They do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of The Look 24/7, its parent company/companies, nor any of its affiliates or sponsors. Listener discretion is advised.

A few questions for the audience should be answered at this time. Shortwave America will remain available as a podcast at radio4all.net as well as the podcast version at The Look 24-7. This will allow for greater access to everyone who is interested. Shortwave America will indeed sound different because actual breaks must be taken to allow for station identification, listener / audience convenience, and to allow the show host to perform small, behind the scenes tasks.

Because the show is now 4 hours in length, you will hear a range of music in-between talk segments. The music will be familiar, but also interesting due to the mix of music being presented as chosen by the show host. Listeners can now make requests! Yes, Shortwave America TAKES REQUESTS! Don't be shy!

What will the show segments be? That answer depends on the specific topics at hand for each show. We can't give it all away here and now, so tune in to The Look 24-7 and enjoy the fun! Whether you're an insomniac, night owl, third shift worker, or a resident of a distant country across the time zones just waking up and starting your day, this show is for you!

Saturday, January 14, 2012

In this second segment of the Shortwave America Space Shuttle Communications History Tribute, covering 30 years of Space Shuttle Communications; we cover Redundant Set Launch Sequencer (RSLS) Aborts, Return To Launch Site (RTLS), Abort To Orbit (ATO), and Abort Once Around (AOA) communications scenarios before moving on to actual Shuttle communications for each and every RSLS abort and the ONLY ATO event that actually happened. The show then moves on to coverage of the very last shuttle mission from the perspective of Johnson Space Center Mission Control in Houston, Texas; and the very first shuttle mission setting the shuttle program in motion.

Join Paulette MacQuarrie and myself as we continue this exciting coverage of Space Shuttle Communications History! LISTEN OR DOWNLOAD HERE

Friday, January 13, 2012

Mitul Kansal is an Engineering student and avid Shortwave enthusiast in India who participated in the Radio France International Listener's Essay. The theme issued by RFI was "This I Believe". Mitul's essay was a powerful inspiration to all who have heard it. Mitul was brought to our attention by the well organized, well written "Radio Listening" blog.

Susan Owensby is the host of the popular RFI program named above.The RFI Audio Player for this specific program has been embedded below for your listening pleasure.

On January 12th, 2012, a 25th follower / fan subscribed! Thanks to you and those who came just before! Shortwave America exists for the enjoyment of a diverse audience, and all of you are appreciated! If it were not for all of you, Shortwave America would cease to exist.

A time period of three years has brought 48,875 readers! Before anyone knows it, we'll have 1.5 million fans worldwide, wouldn't that be nice? Yes, that is indeed an ambitious statistic to shoot for, but why not strive to achieve it?

Don't forget these items while you're here:

Shortwave America has started the long awaited audio-programming and has recently welcomed "The Look 24/7" where the program will be heard LIVE on Friday and Saturday from 0400UTC to 0900UTC. Details are being finalized with "The Look". A program start date should be announced in the days to come.

If you like Shortwave America, consider supporting us! A multi-tiered membership program brings you extra Shortwave America programming for members only.

Are you a party interested in sponsoring Shortwave America or simply having an advertisement hosted here? We have a sponsor page for those who wish to purchase such a service from us. As an added benefit to you, as of the official start date for our programming at "The Look"; you can approach us for commercial spots on this, and other programs at "The Look 24/7".

Voice Of America has been added to the shortwave broadcast gallery with the most helpful programs listed. Due to the multiple programs produced by VOA, the best way to list them while also giving the Shortwave America audience access to their full list of programs was to place a radio program listing at the end of the live stream / latest programming link list.

We hope you will enjoy this new addition! One other change has been made to the shortwave broadcast listening gallery. This will not affect your listening enjoyment, as it involved a simple category label being made to separate domestic stations from international broadcasters. VOA would be an example of a domestic broadcaster although they do broadcast globally, because they are located in the U.S.

This was done just to avoid any confusion to anyone in the future as this list grows.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Howard is celebrating his 58th birthday, and now the nation gets to look back on his younger years. HOWARD'S YOUNGER DAYS

Howard has blazed trails for newer, younger, talent that may not have otherwise been created. At one time, Howard was the FCC's "Most Wanted" man due to his in - your - face style of entertainment using what some see as vulgar and worthless language in his methodology as it relates to audience building. In short, Howard put the "how" in the term "How to do radio". Stay tuned to The Look 24/7 in the upcoming weeks for a discussion with the audience on Howard's career, possibly featuring Howard himself!

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Something really special has been in the works at Shortwave America. It has come to be expected by all of you that we will only welcome the best of partner stations, and work with those who truly love radio and the ability to communicate with the world at large.

"The Look 24/7" is an internet based radio station featuring personalities with unique styles and good taste. Shortwave America colleague, Chris Freitas is a personality at this station and was the "instigator-in-chief" of this groundbreaking development and announcement.

Shortwave America will air a 4 hour edition of the show on "The Look 24/7" twice a week.Stay tuned for updates on the first shows and permanent show schedule at The Look 24/7.

Monday, January 9, 2012

In this the first edition of Media Network Plus Video we have a review of the new Tecsun Pl398BT. We also ask the question. Who is Victor Goonetilleke?

Victor Goonetilleke was last heard on the Shortwave America 2011 Christmas Special. Victor is a pleasure to work with and holds great knowledge. Thanks to Jonathan Marks for doing this interview. Thanks to all of our fans, listeners, readers, and viewers for checking out this new offering from all of us at Media Network Plus.

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Originally scheduled for release just before Thanksgiving of 2011, the long awaited series "30 years Of Space Shuttle Communications" has finally been released with the first segment of a multi-segment program. On this program, Paulette MacQuarrie of PCJ Radio and Nash Holos Ukrainian Roots Radio is our special guest host and guest announcer.

Segment one of this program starts with Astronaut Mike Massamino interviewing retired Shuttle Launch Director, Mike Leinbach and ends with the launch of Shuttle Atlantis on mission STS-132. In segment one, you'll learn about the basic communications protocol and what each communication means. This series is meant not only to educate the public about space shuttle communications in an era gone by, but also to celebrate the dedicated, skilled work of those performing vital communications that made our shuttle program what it was.

Shortwave America would like to thank the NASA press office at Kennedy Space Center and Johnson Space Center for their valiant efforts to assist in securing time from their various shuttle communications personnel although they were not available to participate due to major cuts at NASA in the wake of the lost shuttle program.

There will be a new episode of this multi-part series released each week until the series is finished.

No, I'm not referencing some sort of illegal comedy broadcast on these bands. I'm talking about some rather random, yet, funny conversations that took place on the morning of 5 January 2012. W4TMR - (Charles T. Kluttz, Jr.) is known as an educated and thoughtful skeptic who is quite outspoken. Well, W4TMR was heard on two different 160 meter frequencies, namely, 1864.97Khz and 1865.01Khz lower side band; talking about two separate subjects that will leave you crying from laughing so hard!

Two other good recordings were made on 5 January 2012 involving wild hogs and bear meat, then we just missed a contact made with the corporate owner of Icom but were able to record the result of this conversation. Listen or download below at the links provided. All of these are MP3 files. Please ask before modifying these files for your own use.

W4TMR - Crazy Dreams and Concealed Weaponsstarts out with W4TMR talking about his crazy dream, and the next station has no idea who to turn the frequency over to. The conversation then turns to concealed weapons on1864.97Khz.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

This story from Space.com says a quadrantid meteor shower will happen tomorrow, making for one of the best possibilities for amateur radio meteor scatter operations. Though the article does not mention amateur radio operations, we all know a good meteor shower presents nice opportunities.

Here is a quote from the article: "Peak activity is due to occur early on Wednesday at about 2:30 a.m. EST (0730 GMT) and favors eastern North America."